Rocky Mountain Front

Where Montana’s dramatic peaks give way to the Northern Great Plains, the Rocky Mountain Front forms a landscape unlike any other in America. The Front represents some of the nation’s rarest wildlife habitat—where grizzly bears still roam freely from the mountains to the plains, as they have for centuries. For generations, family ranchers have owned large swaths of the land in this region. But due to challenging economic times, increased demand for recreational property and vacation homes and increased oil and gas development, many of these ranchers have had to sell their land. More than three million acres have been subdivided over the past 15 years.

This development not only erodes the ranching tradition that characterizes the region, it also disrupts wildlife migration routes and cuts off access to breeding grounds, food and safe wilderness for dozens of species such as grizzly bears, elk and nesting birds like the long-billed curlew.

We’re doing that by working with ranching families to place conservation easements on their properties. A conservation easement is an agreement a landowner makes to permanently restrict the type and amount of development on their land. Rather than selling the land to be developed into subdivisions, conservation easements allow them to continue ranching while protecting the land for wildlife habitat.

To date, our Rocky Mountain Front Initiative has protected 100,000 acres of critical migratory corridors for grizzly bears and a wide variety of other species that depend on the Front’s rich ecosystem.

Why This Project Matters

At the Fund, we know that for conservation solutions to last, they need to make economic sense for the people who live in the area. By working with ranchers, we’ve found a successful way to help residents and wildlife live together peacefully on the Front.

Rocky Mountain Front

Rocky Mountain Front: Wetland HabitatPhoto by Todd Kaplan

In addition to the wide open plains that characterize the Front, wetlands are an essential part of the ecosystem, supporting a variety of birds and other wildlife. The recent demand for recreational property and vacation homes threatens the Front's ecosystems and the wildlife that migrate across the plains.

Ranching On The FrontPhoto by Todd Kaplan

Second-home and recreational development also threaten the ranching tradition. For generations, ranching families have been mindful stewards of the landscape. As owners of large swaths of the land, they allow wildlife safe passage between alpine heights and the Northern Great Plains.

Rocky Mountain Front: Landscape FragmentationPhoto by Todd Kaplan

As financially strapped ranchers sell their land, this landscape gets fragmented. More than 3 million acres have been subdivided over the past 15 years. New homes and roads disrupt wildlife migration routes, cutting off the animals’ access to breeding grounds, food and safe haven.

Aerial View Of The FrontPhoto by Todd Kaplan

Two centuries ago, Lewis and Clark journeyed across this area on their way West. Today, most of the sights and wildlife they encountered still endure. The Front is magnificent—but also at risk.

Rocky Mountain Front: Wildlife HabitatPhoto by Todd Kaplan

This area is home to the last healthy grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states, and grizzlies still roam freely from the mountains to the plains, as they have for centuries.

Launching A Five Year EffortPhoto by Todd Kaplan

In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state of Montana, we launched an unprecedented five-year effort to protect 220,000 acres of wildlife habitat along the Rocky Mountain Front while maintaining the region’s traditional ranching heritage.

Rocky Mountain Front: The First YearPhoto by Todd Kaplan

In its first year, the Rocky Mountain Front Initiative moved forward with four projects, protecting 21,274 acres of critical migratory corridors for grizzly bears and a wide variety of other species that depend on the Front’s rich ecosystem.